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RobdogAles
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2019
Posts: 9
Location: Logan UT
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 Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 10:26 am Post subject: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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The 50 amp fuse for the a/c in my van has gotten to the point is has oxidized and become weak. Replacing a relay I touched it and it split nearly in half. Looking online I can find heaps of these for about 50 cents ea and $20 in shipping.
Is there any reason I can't simply replace this strip-type fuse with a modern 50 amp blade type fuse? |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 6347
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16859
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 10:30 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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you could do a maxi fuse, but most parts stores (napa, etc) can get and stock some of the strip fuses. even the dealer still has them
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7915
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 11:03 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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I installed a 50A maxi fuse.
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~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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RobdogAles
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2019
Posts: 9
Location: Logan UT
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 11:11 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| you could do a maxi fuse, but most parts stores (napa, etc) can get and stock some of the strip fuses. even the dealer still has them |
Tried the local autopart stores. None have them and some can't get them. Napa has some in Arizona but it will cost $15 to get it here. I'll give VW a shout on Monday. |
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bobbyblack 
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4348
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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The ones you had... ya, those are not 50 amp fuses after 20-30 years. Wilted, oxidized, etc. They are more like resistors after that amount of time.
I got all new exact replacements, and saw my amperage draws and heat production in the D pillar location go down remarkably.
So, my advice is to just put new stock ones in, not a new style, etc. The biggest reductions I had were in replacing or tightening loose connections, crimp ends and the likes. Any wiggle, and you will have electrical resistance, resulting in more draw, and higher temps in the area. Not a good thing in a tight little spot like the D pillar.
Last, I'd suggest you look into Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) units to replace the big resistors for the fans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKlepF96tCQ&t=383s
(example for front blower, same concept)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=738697
(several options for A/C blowers)
And they are quite inexpensive.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234324540095?hash=item368...BM9sOYi-5g
Regarding how to find the fuses themselves, I don't remember just now where I found them online, but they were very inexpensive as well. I know I bought a small bag of them, I probably even have some just sitting around somewhere, but my location management skills are poor... I will see what I can find from my orders history and get back here with useful info when I can take a look.
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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RobdogAles
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2019
Posts: 9
Location: Logan UT
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 11:21 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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| I was thinking about doing the pwm fan control after finding that in an earlier post when searching for options for replacing my strip fuse. Reason for replacing the strip fuse with a newer style is it makes it easier to find parts if needed. |
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bobbyblack
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4348
Location: United States, Iowa
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Corwyn
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2009
Posts: 2236
Location: Olympia, Washington
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9603
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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I see that's a Westy.
Delete the plenum - then you'll never need more than speed#3.
So disconnect Speed#4 from the switch and that wilted fuse is probably sufficient for a 3-speed.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
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RobdogAles
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2019
Posts: 9
Location: Logan UT
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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| Delete the plenum? Intriguing. Very intriguing. Benefits? Negatives? Photos??? |
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Red Ryder
Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2021
Posts: 951
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 4:16 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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Search Amazon for “50A MIDI fuse”. Just did this. Direct replacement — easy peesy!
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“Most everyone’s mad here. You may have noticed I am not quite all there myself.” — Cheshire Cat, Adventures of Alice in Wonderland
“Scarlett” — 1990 Vanagon Carat Wolfsburg Edition
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9603
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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Westy AC plenum delete...
....speed 2, quietly blowing nice cool a/c up to the front seats of the van....
I deleted the plenum at a campground in 100°F heat because Syncro Jael told me I'd be amazed.
The 2nd half of our trip was "amazing".
See this thread: Westfalia A/C vents & removing plenum
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9603
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2022 2:20 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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| Sodo wrote: |
| disconnect Speed#4 from the switch and that wilted fuse is probably sufficient for a 3-speed. |
Sorry ^^this^^ is an error.
Unplugging speed#4 doesn't reduce amperage across that fuse, or thru the 35 year old wires etc.
This proves that fxr, DuncanS, etc don't read every post. 
And crazyvwvanman didn't catch me either. 
The VW uses a set of 'resistors' to reduce the fan speed.
The resistors waste amps to reduce the motor speeds on 1,2,3.
Amperage to the motor is reduced, but the balance amperage is wasted by the resistor.
Consequently "total amps across that sad old fuse" is ~the same~ regardless of the speed.
The modern way is to use a PWM speed controller, which will definitely reduce the amperage at lower speeds.
No amps are 'wasted' with Pulse Width Modulation.
I'm wondering if there are little PWM boards, with little screw-pots that you could just abandon the resistor and install 3 separate PWM boards, pre-setting each one for speeds 1,2,3.
It wouldn't need that knob, just needs a little screw-pot that you set.
But it has to accommodate the motor wattage.
OR......a feller could re-route the outputs of the switch thru 4 discrete resistors that "choose" 4 positions of that knob/pot to control the PWM board.
Then the OEM fan speed switch still has 4 speeds, and works OEMish, with top speed about 80% (lesser power).
I like that.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb
Last edited by Sodo on Sun Sep 25, 2022 7:19 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Corwyn
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2009
Posts: 2236
Location: Olympia, Washington
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| Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2022 4:25 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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| Sodo wrote: |
| Sodo wrote: |
| disconnect Speed#4 from the switch and that wilted fuse is probably sufficient for a 3-speed. |
Sorry ^^this^^ is an error. |
Good on ya' for jumping on your sword
_________________
'90 White Westy ("Knarr")
FAS Gen V 2.0
The Annual Baja Rally
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RobdogAles
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2019
Posts: 9
Location: Logan UT
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| Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2022 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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Thanks to all for your replies. I gotta say I love this forum. It's seldom I post questions but I always take away some amazing knowledge that can be difficult to dig out of the Bentley.
Cheers to you all. |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22639
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:11 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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I worked on a D pillar T3 AC electrical this summer. No way I would replace with stock fuses, splice in some modern stuff In those high amp circuits.
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 9920
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 9:13 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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Edit: how about measuring the amps through the fuse for each speed?
Mark
Last edited by crazyvwvanman on Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:09 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9603
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:07 am Post subject: Re: Vanagon A/C 50 amp fuse substitute? |
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!!! Uh-oh this is worse than the dang sword ...
Good to confirm that the easy method (unplugging speed #4) is valid.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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